Our Trip to Republic, MO

Our nephew, Nathaniel Crum, married Katie Killingsworth last week in Republic, Missouri and we were blessed to be there. It was a short trip with a lot of driving, but it was worth it.

We left Tuesday, May 4th after John mowed one last lawn. We had our “new-to-us” Suburban packed to the gills, but didn’t need the rack that attaches to the trailer hitch we had borrowed just in case. We hit Atlanta right before noon, but had no problems. We just stayed in the HOV lanes pretty much straight through town. After Birmingham, AL, we headed north to my friends’ house. We did take a small side trip to a covered bridge I found on the map which turned out to be lovely.

We got to the Siebert’s house around 6:00pm, I thought. I had forgotten about the time change – it was only 5:00pm! LOL That meant we had an extra hour for the children to play outside, the man to talk, and the women to chat and cook. We had baked potatoes for dinner with ground venison, onions, mushrooms, greens, cheese, and other toppings. It was a lovely evening! The boys slept on blow up mattresses in the boys’ room. In the girls’ room, Sarah slept in one girl’s bed (she slept on the floor) and Bekah slept in her port-a-crib. John and I shared the living room.

The next morning, we were up and out early. We awoke in Alabama, had breakfast in Mississippi, lunch in Tennessee, snack in Arkansas, and dinner in Missouri. Our snack in Hardy, Arkansas was nice because we found a lovely park with a playground. The children had fun playing on the playground and walking by the river before loading back into the ‘Burb for the last leg of our journey. Shortly after we arrived, the children were in the pool with their cousins, having fun! After dinner in our room, they went to bed. I stayed up reading and chatting with Jill while she waited for Peter and family to arrive.

Thursday was wedding day. After breakfast in the lobby, the children went back in the pool and I went to work ironing our wedding clothes. Once I finished that, we got showered and got ready and for the “non-rehearsal” luncheon. Jill had the great idea to have everyone give gifts to the happy couple that they thought would be needed to be a member of their new family. We gave a copy of the Princess Bride DVD, which every good Crum and Moir can quote by heart. Jill had gotten Subway sandwiches for the luncheon and ordered some FG-acceptable ones just for our clan. Yum!

After lunch, we went shopping at Wal-Mart, took a drive to the wedding venue, and then went to the local battlefield, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. It was a Civil War battlefield and we learned about the battle at the Visitor’s Center. Then we drove through the park and stopped for some sandwiches before going back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding.

The wedding was on the second floor of a converted barn. It was just right for this wedding. It was a celebration of Nathaniel, Katie, their love, and mostly, of the Wedding that this was a faint copy of – the Wedding-to-come of the Church to Christ!

The reception was in the same space as the wedding, with the tables and chairs moved while we were outside getting pictures taken. They had country music performed by the bride’s brother and his friends. Johnathan also sang a number that he wrote that was sweet which compared Nathaniel to a bear and Katie to a bird. The food was desserts and my children were very happy with homemade cookies and Teddy Grahams. Mostly, they played outside with the other children who were there. Sarah was very sweet and watched Peter’s girls and as well as Rebekah. Another highlight of the reception was having everyone’s pictures taken with props the photographer provided. I can’t wait to see how they turned out!

Here is a picture Lauren took of Sarah, Lauren, me, and Rebekah.




We went home shortly after the bride and groom left. Back at the hotel, I tried to quickly get everything organized for the next day so we could be out early the next morning. While we didn’t leave as early as hoped, we did get on the road by 8:00am, set to drive 9.5 hours to another family’s house for a stop-over before finishing the trip home Saturday. Once on the road, John decided it would best if we just drove straight home that night. Sarah was coming down with a cold and everyone had been exposed to chicken pox, so we didn’t want to infect the family we were supposed to visit. We didn’t get home until 1:00am! Still, we were home and happy to sleep in our own beds. After all that driving, I sure am glad the next wedding is in Greenville!

One adventure I forgot to include was stopping at the Arkansas Welcome Center in Mammoth Spring, AR. The Welcome Center had clean restrooms and a lovely picnic area. There were also two water falls at opposite ends of a small lake. It took me a few seconds to remember where we were and conclude that it was a spring-fed lake. The water was very clearn and blue and looked very tempting. Until I got closer and saw a snake. Ever try to run without touching the ground? We saw about seven snakes at that stop. Yuck! We also saw lots of geese, ducks, pigeons, and even a few muskrats. Still didn't make up for the snakes. I don't like snakes.

Our Trip to Parris Island

Nine weeks ago, Thomas and David Crum went to Parris Island and became Recruit Crum, Thomas and Recruit Crum, David. Yesterday, they graduated from Boot Camp and officially became Marines. We are very proud of them both!

Right from the start, I knew we should go to their graduation. I didn't know that graduation was at 9:00am. I also didn't know that you should get to Parris Island early to get through vehicle inspection. When I learned these things, my resolve faltered. But in the end, I am very glad we went!

We started our preparations on Monday, by putting the children to bed a little early. We kept moving their bed time back so that Thursday night, they went to bed around 6:00pm. I got up at 1:00am to get showered and ready. At 2:00am, we woke the children up, hoping they would go right back to sleep in the Suburban. Nope, not gonna happen. They were very good and watched DVD's on the way down. They stopped the DVD's in time to see the sunrise as we drove onto Parris Island.

We got there earlier than I thought we would and the vehicle inspection was very quick - just a dog sniffing the outside of the 'Burb. But I was glad we got there early. The bleachers filled up quickly and we had a time saving seats for the boys family and freinds. In addition to us, there were 27 people who had come just for their graduation. They had all stayed near-by and visited with the boys the day before. It was wonderful to see how many people cared about them!

The graduation ceremony was very impressive. Afterwards, we got a chance to visit with the boys before they headed home. Their brother Matthew took this picture on the parade ground. We had a picnic lunch while most of the traffic cleared, and then drove home. Even with a stop to do some shopping. We were home by 4:30pm, tired but very happy and proud!

Disney's Give a Day, Get a Day Program

When I saw the commercials for the "Give a Day, Get a Day" Program for Disney, I was excited. I got frustrated Jan. 1st when I was unable to to register for any of the volunteer opportunities due to the high volume they were getting. However, I waited a few days and tried again and was able to sign us up. Rebekah is too young to volunteer, but they did let me sign up the rest of the children plus John and me to clean up at a local school.

February 26th (our day to work) finally arrived. We dropped off Rebekah at Aunt Beth's for a morning of fun and headed to Sue Cleveland Elementary. The school principal said they usually get 10-15 people to help clean-up. That day there were over 100. We picked up sticks, raked leaves, and picked up garbage. There were small statues under the leaves that weren't even visible when we got there. It was fun asking the various volunteers when they were planning to go to Disney. We finished all the work in under two hours and were able to pick up Bekah and head home for lunch.

Our vouchers arrived by e-mail a few days later and I have been planning our trip ever since. I thought at first we might go in September. However, I asked on the DisBoards if that was a good idea and they all said it would still be hot and very humid then. We have decided to postpone until November. There is a new ticker at the bottom of the blog that shows how long until our big vacation.

The plan at this point is to drive down on Sunday, November 7. We hope to stay four nights at Fort Wilderness Campground which is part of the Walt Disney World Resort. By staying on property, we would eligible to do many fun, free things. Campfires with Chip and Dale, sing-a-longs, movies outside, ride the monorail, watch the electric boat parade, just to name a few. If we get good weather, sleeping in the tent should be fine.

We would spend one day at Downtown Disney, which has free admission. It's really just a very nice shopping center, but all the stores are fun just to look at. Also, there is a Lego Store there that will probably be one of the highlights of the trip for the boys, not to mention a store where they can build their own light sabers. We might also spend a day looking at the other hotels on property, if we get bored just hanging out at the campground.

The other day would be for the Magic Kingdom. I don't know who Rebekah would like to meet more - Minnie Mouse or Cinderella. Either way, I think she will absolutely love it!

Thank you, Disney, for the "Give a day, Get a Day" Program. It looks to be a real blessing for our family.

Christmas Letter 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

As I look back on 2009, I rejoice is seeing how faithful God has been to us. John’s carpentry job petered out early in the year. He tried selling security systems, but has returned to handiwork and lawncare. There has not been much call for either of those recently, but we hope both will pick up in the coming year. In the meantime, God has provided for all of our needs and many of our wants.

One fun adventure we had in the Spring was a trip to our Nation’s Capitol. We stayed with John’s brother Bob and his wife Sandi. We went during what we hoped would be the height of the Cherry Blossom Festival, but the weather was cold and rainy. Instead of walking around to see the monuments, we drove by them and went to various Smithsonian Museums instead. Everyone’s favorite was The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport. It is part of the Air and Space Museum and has many planes in a large hangar. The boys espescially enjoyed seeing the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird and the Space Shuttle.

In August, we were invited to a wedding in Roanoke, VA. While John was game to try driving up and back in the same day, I was less enthusiastic. I asked various cyber-friends if anyone had some floor space in the area and we ended up staying with a dear Christian family about 30 minutes south of Roanoke. We made new friends and had a blast at the wedding. Afterwards, we drove home on the Blue Ridge Parkway, passing the place where John asked me to marry him many years ago.

Another highlight of our year was also courtesy of Bob and Sandi. They used some of their timeshare points to provide us with a suite to stay in at Myrtle Beach. We went in early December and had a wonderful time. Even though, once again, the weather was cold and rainy, we found plenty of fun things to do including swimming in the indoor pool, floating in the heated lazy river, and playing on the PS3 in the Game Room.

The children continue to grow at alarming rates. Sarah is 14 and taller than her mother! She is 5’10 ½” and I think she is hoping to reach 6 feet before she is done. Trey will be 13 next month and is anxious to pass mom in height. He, like all the boys, loves all things Lego and all things Star Wars. Many hours are devoted to building Star Wars scenes out of Legos in our house! Bobby just turned 11 and his favorite interests are Batman and bicycles. William, soon to be 9, loves playing computer games and goes through withdrawal if he doesn’t get a daily fix. Jeffrey turned 7 in August and he and Sarah had a great pool party at Beth May’s house. Rebekah will be 3 in February. Words cannot convey the delight she brings to our lives.

I continue to enjoy homeschooling the children. I also was able to worship God more through music this year when I auditioned for and made the new Fountain Inn Chorale. Our Christmas Concert included works by Shubert, Byrd, and Lauridsen. I am looking forward to rehearsals resuming in the Spring. I also sang once with the Palmetto Hills Presbyterian Church choir when they were in need of an additional soprano and hope to do so again.

Our prayers for you in the coming year are that God would reveal Himself to you in new and awesome ways and that He would draw you closer to Himself.

Merry Christmas!

John, Marty, Sarah, Trey, Bobby, William, Jeffrey, and Rebekah Moir

Our field trip to Cowpen's National Battlefield

Tuesday, October 6, 2009, we went on a field trip. We left around 8:30am and drove to Gastonia, NC. There, we went to Mary Jo's Cloth store. What a great place! Fabric everywhere. Much, much, much more than any fabric store around here and at reasonable prices. I bought material for two jumpers - one is a deep purple and the other is Lorraine Blue.

Next we drove to the Discovery Place Museum in Charlotte. Many of the exhibits were closed for renovations, but that just meant we weren't so overwhelmed and the crowds had stayed home. The top floor, where we started, had many experiments for the children to try. Levers, pulleys, wedges, optical illusions - we were entertained there for quite a while. Plus, they had a toddler play area in one corner so Rebekah and I could enjoy some special one-on-one play time.

The floor below had their special exhibit - Pirates and Sunken Treasure. We learned about recovering treasure from below the ocean and how strong hurricanes are, plus saw many artifacts. And of course, the boys loved the pirate-y stuff.

We had intended to go from there to Cowpen's, but it was still early, so we went to King's Mountain National Military Park. We watched a movie about the battle that happen there (239 years, less one day from when we were there), and then walked the Battle Field Trail, with wayside exhibits teaching more about the battle. It was interesting to learn that the battle took place from about 3:00pm to 4:00pm. We did it from 4:00 to 5:00, but if you account for daylight savings time (not used then), we were there about the same time.

From there, we drove to Cowpen's National Battlefield. The Overmountain Victory Trail Volunteers had a program telling, through narration and reenacting, of the journey patriots from Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina took to get to King's Mountain (including an overnight stay at Cowpen's) and of the battle. They even enlisted the children there to help portray tired Patriots. They were supposed to gallop in on pretend horses and then, at the right moment, lie down and pretend to go to sleep. Of course my boys collapsed in exhaustion with exaggerated falls. As Trey noted, "That's what happens when actors marry!" LOL

It was a wonderful day full of opportunities for learning and great memories.

Our annual trip to Six Flags over GA

For the past few years, the children have earned free tickets to Six Flags through their reading program. One of the MOMYS (Mothers of Many Young Siblings) organizes a group for homeschoolers. I also get a free ticket as their teacher. :-)

This year, we went on July 20. It was a wonderful day! The weather was perfect - sunny but not too hot. Best of all, Trey did not throw up! The previous trips, he has always gotten very sick before we even get out of GA.

Sarah was too old to earn a free ticket this year and she doesn't like amusement parks anyway. (What's up with that?) She asked if she could stay with Aunt Beth, which was fine with all of us. The night before we went, we realized that bringing Rebekah would only strain our day more. She also went to Beth's and they all had a wonderful day according to all reports.

We got to Six Flags at around eleven o-clock after a brief pitstop at the GA Welcome Center. We paid extra and parked in premium parking which was well worth it. I handed each boy a bagel and a bottle of water and we headed for the park. I had paid for a ticket for Li'L John on-line and printed it at Beth's when we dropped the girl's off, so we were able to go right to the entrance gate. I was surprised when security told me I wasn't allowed to wear a bandana in the park, but when I explained it was for religious reasons, they allowed me to keep it on. I think if it had been plain white like I usually wear, it wold have been fine. They said the problem was gangs wear certain printed bandanas so they have banned all printed bandanas.

The first thing we did was split up to go to our favorite roller coasters. I took Bob, William, and Jeffrey to Dahlonga Mine Train. It is a moderately thrilling coaster which was just enough for us. Okay, a bit much for William. He had been sad up to that point that he wasn't tall enough for the Superman:Ultimate Flight. After the Mine train, he wasn't sure he would ever go on a roller coaster again. He was okay once we got off, but he was screaming the whole way around.

John and Trey went on Goliath. The Six Flag site describes it as "It’s big, it’s mean, and it wants to take you for a ride. Meet Goliath—the gigantic steel coaster the other rides call 'Sir.' " Ask them about it sometime. They love to describe it in detail.

We met up near the carousel. Jeffrey rode it 5 times. There are other rides near there that the children enjoy. Bob rode the hot air balloon ride 3 times (at least) and Trey and William drove the Hanson cars. Some of the boys also rode the Rockin' Tugboat. John and I sat and rested in the rocking chairs around the carousel.

Next,we headed for the bumper cars. The line was quick, so the boys went on it again while I took someone (Jeffrey?)to the restroom. We briefly considered going on Splash Water Falls, as it had just opened, but the line was already very long, so we headed out of the park for lunch.

There was a nice, covered area near the entrance where they sell tickets on the more crowded days. This day the area was mostly deserted. I left John there with most of the boys and walked to the car with Trey to get lunch. I got new water bottles for everyone and Coke for John and me. I was able to fit all that in my backpack along with the bologna. Then I just had to carry the sandwich rolls and pretzels which all fit in one ziploc bag. Once back at our "picnic area" John made the sandwiches and we had a nice relaxing lunch.

When we got back into the park, we headed for the Gotham area. Trey and Bob rode the Gotham City Crime Wave (swings ride) and then we all looked at the Bat Mobile. After that, the boys wanted to go to the go-cart ride. They were so disappointed that it cost extra. :-(

We rested for a while in the Thomas the Tank Engine area while the boys played on the playground. Then they decided if the couldn't do go-carts, they wanted to drive something. I took Bob to the Hanson Cars while John took the other boys back to the bumper cars. We agreed to meet up at the Log Flume. We should have meet at the carousel again, as there is so much there that the boys enjoy.

Our last ride was the Log Flume. Jeffrey didn't want to go but both John and I did so he had no choice. William was nervous at first, but he decided to enjoy it and did.

That was our last ride for the day. We didn't have much traffic on the way home and got to Beth's around 8:00. John dropped us off and and went to get some McDonald's for dinner. He got gas while out and returned the Suburban to his parents after dropping off dinner.

All in all, a wonderful day. And Trey never got sick. :-D (By bedtime, the other three boys felt yucky, but no one did get sick.)

Crockpot recipes

Okay, some friends on Facebook want my crockpot recipes, so here I am to type them out. At least this way I will still have them if my hard copy disappears. The bean recipe is posted further down - just do a search.

Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
8 oz. dry macaroni, cooked
2 cans (13 oz. each) evaporated milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I sometimes use Sargentos Mexican 4 cheese blend)
3 TBSP melted butter (I just put room temp. butter in the crockpot on low when I start to cook the macaroni) 1/4 minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in crockpot and mix thoroughly. Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours.

Pot Roast
Ingredients:
A hunk of beef - I buy whatever is on sale really cheap
Morton's Nature's Seasons Seasonings Blend (or your favorite seasoning blend)
Dried Minced Onion
1 cup prepared beef broth

Liberally coat beef with seasoning blend and onion on all sides. Put it in crockpot. If desired, add veggies (carrots, potatoes, whatever) and pour in beef broth. Cook on low all day.

Crockpot Stuffing

First thing I do is make Herb Bread.
Place in the bread maker in the order recommended:
1 1/8 cups water
1 egg
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/8 tsp. celery seed
1/8 tsp. sage
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup oats
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
The center always falls on the loaf for me. I'm not sure why, but since I am using it for stuffing, I don't care.

Once the loaf has cooled, I cube it and toast it on low heat for a few hours in the oven to dry it out. The stuffing recipe calls for 12 cups dry bread cubes. I believe I usually add some regular bread to make up that amount.

For stuffing:
1 cup butter
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. sage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. thyme
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups chicken broth
12 cups dry bread cubes

Saute celery and onions in butter until softened. Mix with spices, eggs, and broth until well blended. Add bread and stir to blend. Cook in crockpot on high for 45 minutes; reduce to low and cook for 6 hours.

"Baked" Potatoes

Wash potatoes and dry thoroughly (otherwise they will get rusty from the foil). Prick with fork. Wrap them in foil. Fill Crock-Pot with 6 to 12 potatoes. Cover. Cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (High: 2 1/2 to 4 hours).

French Dip
Hunk of beef, with fat trimmed
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder

Put beef in crockpot. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour over beef then add enough water to almost cover meat. Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours, or until beef is very tender. Remove meat from broth and fork shred. Put meat on sandwich rolls and serve with broth for dipping.

Smothered Cube Steak
Cube Steaks (It's a thin steak usually tenderized by poking full of holes. Often used for minute steaks)
Beef Gravy (see below)

Pour gravy over steaks and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Beef Gravy*
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups beef bouillon

Melt butter in saute pan. Cook onions in butter until translucent. Stir in flour. Add bouillon and bring to boil. Stir and boil for one minute.

* I double this recipe to use with Cube Steak recipe.

Tropical Chicken
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
2 8 oz. cans pineapple chucks
6 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Place first three ingredients in crockpot. Combine last three and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over rice, if desired.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup soda - Sprite, 7-up, whatever
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper

Place chicken in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta, if desired.

Our Field trip to Washington DC

On April 4th, we left for our trip to Washington DC and area. We got a later start than hoped for, but that's to be expected, right? We were glad to have the DVD's to help pass the trip, although our portable DVD player gets tired and stops working after a while. We stopped at a rest stop for lunch and were asked if we were part of a church that required us to wear red and yellow. LOL I explained that was just to help keep track of the children.

We arrived and Uncle Bob and Aunt Sandi's house around 6:30pm and quickly got settled. Sarah and Rebekah slept in Katelynn's old room. The boys slept in the basement on couches, a futon, and a mat. John and I each got a couch in the living room. That night for dinner we had Papa John's Pizza. After dinner, the children stayed up watching the first part of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" on Uncle Bob's projection screen.

The next morning, we were up and out early and drove to Maryland to attend Bishop Cummins Reformed Episcopal Church with the Crums. It was a lovely Palm Sunday service. Unfortunately, Trey and Jeffrey didn't feel very well. Even Rebekah was feeling less than great, probably in part due to lack of sleep. After the service, Jeffrey threw up on the front steps of the church. *blush* Trey was considerate enough to wait until we got to the Crums' house. Jeffrey felt better after throwing up but Trey was sick until Monday morning. He was a real trooper though - he sat at their outside picnic table with an empty ice cream bucket. The rest of us had a nice soup and salad lunch, and then visited for a few hours before we drove back to Uncle Bob's house. After a quick dinner of sandwiches, the children watched the rest of Clone Wars.

The next morning, Trey was feeling better, so we drove into DC. It was raining on and off, so we didn't get to see the monuments up close like I had hoped. Perhaps next time. Instead, I took the children to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. It was very crowded (a rainy day during Cherry Blossom Festival) and overwhelming. The lines were way too long for the things I wanted to see (the Lincoln exhibit and The Star Spangled Banner), but we did see the Ruby Slippers and go through an exhibit on home construction and one on Edison.

Instead of the picnic on The National Mall I had planned, we went back to Uncle Bob's house for lunch. On our way to DC in the morning, we had stopped at Einstein Bros. Bagels and so we had bagels for lunch. Yummy!

After lunch, we drove to the newer Air and Space Museum called The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. It is near Dulles Airport and is the nicest of the Smithsonian Museums in my opinion. One thing that makes it particularly nice is lots of chairs for tired mamas. It is a huge museum, but with lots of fun stuff to see. The boys especially liked seeing the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the world. Seeing a Space Shuttle was cool too. Trey still preferred the Patriot's Point Museum in Charlotte, SC though, as they let you touch the planes there.

Back to Uncle Bob's house for dinner. I had made Beef Stew before we left home and froze it. John heated it up and served it to us, Bob and Sandi, and their houseguest, Natalia. While it was heating, Natalia was very sweet and played piano with Rebekah. She further endeared herself to me by having seconds on the stew! After dinner, the grown-ups watched Dancing with the Stars. Tivo is neat!

The next day was Zoo day. First, we drove to Tyson's Corner Center and went to the Lego Store. For the boys, this was the highlight of the trip. They each got a Lego set,mostly with their own money. They were extremely disappointed that we didn't let them open them until the morning after we got home. After a quick lunch at McDonalds, John drove us to the National Zoo. On the way, we drove through Chevy Chase and saw lots of cool, old apartment buildings. By the time we got there, Rebekah was asleep in her car seat. John elected to stay with her while I took the other children through the Zoo. We loved it! Their favorite animals were Sarah - the pandas, Trey - the diamondback rattlesnake (near which he found $10), Bobby - the armadillo, Jeffrey - the tiger, and William - the red pandas.

While we were in the Zoo, John found a really cool park with a winding road through it called Beach Drive. It was refreshing to drive through the park before hitting the traffic on the Beltway. When we got home, I spent time getting packed and organized for our trip home. For dinner that night, Bob treated us to Five Guys Burgers. Mmmmm... Then the boys watched Spiderman while the grown-ups fell asleep watching the result show for Dancing with the Stars and girl's basketball. The boys were pratically the last ones asleep with the movie ending at 11:15!

The next day, we had a long trip home. I don't know about anyone else, but I was sure glad to sleep in my own bed that night!

The Return of the Daughters DVD

I had been wanting to watch this for a while. I had read so many good things about it. What a blessing that a friend from the Patriarch's Wives Yahoo Group offered to send her copy around to anyone interested in seeing it.

John and I watched it over two nights with Sarah. We all enjoyed it. Sarah is renewed in her desire to live a life in service to the Lord. She still would like to design modest clothes, but sees more how she can do that here at home and hopefully someday, as a cottage industry to help her husband as she raises her own family.

Sarah also asked if we could read and discuss the book Before You Meet Prince Charming a chapter at a time with her. We have already done that this week for the first two chapters. We hope to do a chapter a week from now on.

In God's perfect timing, I found out that the curriculum Far Above Rubies was on sale. I was able to order the full curriculum on CD. Sarah will start that when she finishes this school year. The only other thing she will need is math. Of course, she will still sit in on our family history and science unit studies.

Also, I was able to get the Bible study Raising Maidens of Virtue. Sarah and I will start that after we finish Before You Meet Prince Charming. For the boys, I got Little Bear's Outdoor Adventure Guide for the All American Boy.

I guess this post isn't as much about the DVD as about the journey God is taking us on that started with us watching "Return of the Daughters". If you would like to read more about the DVD, check out this blog post I found:
http://thekincellfamily.blogspot.com/2007/11/return-of-daughters-movie-review.html

What we are doing in school these days

For Bible, we are reading Matthew. I hope to finish by mid-February and then skip to I Corinthians.

We are continuing to do Considering God's Creation as our unit study. This week we are studying rocks including minerals, crystals, and precious stones. In addition to the study guide, we have books and some videos about rocks. jeffrey seems very intrigued and has taken to searching for rocks in the yard.

We are also trying to get an overview of American History before we hopefully go to Washington DC this spring. I have an Abeka book I picked up at a garage sale called Our American Heritage. It gives brief (3-5 page) biographies of famous people in American History, starting with Columbus. Yesterday we studied Miles Standish and today we will learn about Squanto. We also have some animated videos to go along - Animated Hero Classics and some Jean Fritz books.

This in addition to our reading, writing, and arithmetic keep us just busy enough. :-)

Christmas Letter 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

One of the joys of this time of year is looking back on all the blessings God has provided throughout the past year. We were able to go on three trips this year and they standout as times of fun, so I will share them with you.

In late February, we packed up and headed north. First, we drove to Louisville, KY and had dinner with John’s Cousin Richard at his house. The next day, we drove to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY. Bobby (10) enjoyed seeing the “Men in White” movie and Sarah (13) really liked the life-sized section of “Noah’s Ark”. We spent the morning there, then drove to Bloomington, IN to spend the weekend visiting with family and going to Matthew and Emily Crum’s wedding. Jeffrey (6) says his favorite memory of that trip was getting to eat a Subway sandwich. John and the children even got to go sledding in the snow – a special treat for children growing up in South Carolina!

In May, we took a day trip to Charleston and went to The Patriot’s Point Museum. Trey (11) especially enjoyed seeing the planes and going on the flight simulator. Before driving home, we went to beach and played in the waves. Rebekah (1) discovered sand doesn’t taste as good as it looks.

In November, we were off to another wedding - Charlie and Katelynn Cahoon's. This one was in Williamsburg, VA. John’s sister-in-law, Sandi, arraigned for us to stay at Wyndham Governor’s Green. It was so luxurious; the children didn’t want to leave. William (7) said that was the best part of the trip, but I think getting to go swimming with his cousins in the resort’s pool was also special. Before the wedding, we were able to walk through part of Colonial Williamsburg. After the wedding, we all had fun dancing at the reception!

When we are not travelling, you can find us most days at home. We might be doing school work or chores or we might be playing in the backyard or watching a movie. Whatever we’re doing, you are welcome to join us. You might want to call first though, or you may catch me in my pj’s!

May your family be blessed this coming year with an ever deepening and an ever awe-inspiring relationship with Our Creator and Savior!

Merry Christmas!

The Moirs

What My Children are Thankful For

During the week before Thanksgiving, I had each of the children write out what they were thankful for. Here is what they wrote.

This is what Jeffrey dictated to me:

I am thankful for Mommy, Becky, Daddy, and Sarah.

This is what William wrote:

I am thankful for pasta because it is good for you and it tastes good. I like TV and computer and God because if He was not here we would be dust. I am thankful for all my friends and I am thankful for my family, especially Daddy because he loves me too. I love paper games because they are fun.

And here is what Bobby wrote:

I am thankful for my Mom and my Dad and my Heroclix and the television and the computer and my brothers and my racecar. Oh, and my sisters.

Here is what Trey wrote:

I am Thankful For....

Mom because she cares so much because sometimes you just need some help. Dad takes me where I want to go. My siblings are fun to play with. Toys and books don't compare to my imagination. Can't forget the baby - she's the youngest one.

And Sarah wrote this:

There are so many things I am thankful for. Here are just some of them.

I am thankful for my house. It is not very big, but we really have more space than we need. Our house has a good, solid roof that doesn't leak. Our house also has air-conditioning and heat.

My favorite room in the whole house is my room. That is another thing I am thankful for. Lately, I have been pretending my room is my house. I have been trying to keep it clean, and I have been taking care of my "children" - my sister and my doll. I'm thankful for them, too! My sister is cute and she makes me laugh everyday. And I am thankful for Ruthie, my doll, too. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't have gone to Atlanta with my mom, and that was so much fun!

There are many, many more things I am thankful for. But these are just some of them.

Overnight Beans

Here is how I cook dried beans in my crockpot without pre-soaking.
Combine the following in a 6 qt. crock pot:
3 pounds of dried beans - I use 2 lbs. black beans and 1 lb. pinto
1 tsp. cumin
3 TBS kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
3 TBS olive oil
6 TBS minced, dried onion
Water to within 1 inch of the top of the crock

Set to cook on low for 6-8 hours. These beans are delicious for breakfast.

Use the leftovers in one of the following ways:
1. Refried Beans: Throw into a food processor with enough juice to keep them moist, then heat for excellent refried beans OR bean burrito filling.
2. For Chili, combine extra beans with:
8 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
6 - 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3 TBS sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
6 TBS cumin
4 TBS chili powder
1 lg. onion, diced and sauteed in 1/2 cup olive oil
Simmer on stove top for at least one hour for flavors to blend well, longer if able.

More pictures

Some more pictures from the Speed Racer Birthday Party

Aunt Caroline was nice enough to e-mail me some pictures she and Uncle Greg took at the birthday party we had last August. I attached some to the post below about the party. Here are the rest.

Star Wars Day at Roper Mountain Science Center

Today we went to Roper Mountain Science Center and learned about the science behind the Star Wars movies. Sarah learned about a robot that can speak 500 in English and Korean, displays emotions, and gets upset when you poke "her." William learned that a light saber couldn't really work because the handle is too small and because the laser would not stop but would go on and on. We also learned that the death star would have needed a lens to focus all those beams together to make the big ray.

Part of the festivities was a costume contest. We didn't win any prizes, but here are pictures we took when we got home.

Our Speed Racer Birthday Party

This month, Jeffrey turned 6 and Sarah turned 13. They had a combined party at Grandmother and Grandfather's house. Jeffrey wanted a Speed racer Party, so Sarah decided that was what he should have.

First she organized decorations. She got out construction paper and had all the boys create cool cars for a centerpiece decoration. The was an apple car complete with lowly worm. There was a shark car, an elephant car, a hand car, an S car, a Christmas Tree car, a flying car, and of course, a Speed Racer car.

Jeffrey dressed like Speed, wearing a blue tee shirt with a red bandana at the neck. The other characters were Trey as Sparky, Bobby as Racer X, William as Spridle, and Rebekah as Chim-chim. John and I were Pop and Mom Racer.

Sarah made a race car cake that looked great! John helped her cut it out and then she decorated it. It even had cookie hubcaps!

Here are the gifts Jeffrey received:
Grandmother and Grandfather - a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift certificate
Grandmommy - two coloring books
Uncle Greg and Aunt Caroline - some Hot Wheels
Aunt Beth and Cousin Laura (for all the Mays) - a Hot Wheel
Mr. and Mrs. Blair - a check for $25 which Jeffrey spent mostly at Build-A-Bear
Sarah - a Speed racer Helmet

Here are the gifts Sarah received:
Grandmother and Grandfather - a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift certificate
Grandmommy - a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift certificate
Uncle Greg and Aunt Caroline - a book about sewing
Aunt Beth and Cousin Laura - a $10 Target Gift card
Mr. and Mrs. Blair - a check for $25 which Jeffrey spent mostly at Build-A-Bear

They also each got a free animal from Build-A-Bear just because they were born he same month as "Bearemy". Jeffrey got a puppy and named it Yo-Ho-Ho Jonny and Sarah got a panda and named it Lee Mae-Hah.

For His birthday dinner, Jeffrey had Stuffed Shells with ice cream with sprinkles and banana for dessert. Sarah had Fettuccine Alfredo for her dinner and Cherry Pie for dessert.

Sarah also got a silver bracelet from Heather, some Littlest Pets from Isabella, and a journal and book from Grace.

It was a nice birthday season! :-D

Sarah and Mommy's Trip to Atlanta

I took Sarah to Atlanta for an overnight trip. Sarah wanted to buy the new American Girl Doll, Ruthie (Kit's best friend) at the AG store. I thought it was a great excuse for us to have some time one-on-one.

The timing of the trip was decided by the release date of the doll. She was released June 1st to stir up interest in the new AG movie, "Kit Kittredge, an American Girl." Sarah had wanted to be there the first day she was released, but that wasn't possible. She said it would be okay to be there the first week instead.

Since John wasn't working Friday, we drove to Alpharetta, where the AG store is, that morning. We were baffled to find a long line outside the store. Boy, were we surprised to find out that Abigail Breslin, star of the new movie, was there signing autographs!

We didn't get her autograph, but here is a picture of her signing autographs:



And here she is walking through the store after she was done:



Here is Sarah sitting in the chair Miss Breslin sat in:



Here is Sarah in front of the American Girl Store with her new Ruthie doll:




Here they are having lunch at the American Girl Bistro:



Be sure to read the next post for the rest of our adventures!

Atlanta Trip, Part 2

After shopping, we checked into our hotel, the La Quinta next to mall where the AG store is. It was a wonderful hotel and I would recommend it to anyone traveling in the area. It was clean and quiet and the rooms are very large.

After unpacking , we drove into Atlanta and went to the Coca-Cola Museum. Three were fun movies to watch, including one that was 4-D. We got to taste Coke products from around the world, see how Coke is bottled, and learn about the history of Coke and how it has been marketed through the years. We even got to meet the Coke Polar Bear!




After the museum, we strolled through Centennial Olympic Park. One lady asked us if we were Irish. I guess it was the long, loose dresses and the headcoverings.  Three was also a man said, “Good evening, ladies.” Then he turned to Sarah and said, “Madam.” His friend said, “What did you say?” “I called her Madam. It’s a respect thing!” LOL I got the feeling the comments would have been very different if we were in jeans.

When we drove back from Atlanta to the hotel, we knew we needed to get some dinner, but weren’t sure where to go. The we saw Bahama Breezes. That sounded perfect for two hot and thristy ladies! We split a chicken dish and had Key Lime Pie for dessert. Delicious!

After dinner, we swam in hotel pool before retiring for the night.

The next day, after the complimentary breakfast at the hotel, we packed and checked out and headed for the Atlanta Zoo. Before going into the Zoo, we had a picnic snack of leftover pizza from the AG Bistro and complimentary Cokes from the Coke Museum.

Our favorites from the Zoo were the naked mole rats, the kangaroo with a joey in its pouch, the orangatangs playing computer games, and the giant Pandas. Here is a picture of the baby panda taking a nap in a tree:




Here is Sarah pretending to be a Giant Panda that is holding Ruthie:



Here is Sarah petting a goat at the petting zoo.



We had a wonderful time!

Contests for me and you!

One of the message boards I am on, Upstate Moms (for moms in Upstate SC), is always having contests. And I seem to win more than my fair share! When I first joined the board, I had no idea there was a contest going on. However, I won! The proze was 4 tickets to the American Idol Show at the Bi-Lo Center. We sold those tickets and bought groceries! LOL

Then earlier this year, they had a contest where the prize was a $50 Visa gift card. They give away about 30 of those and I won one. :-)

Their most recent contest was for First Mom. Anyone who wanted to could submit the name of another mom who posts. "The nominee should be someone whose posts you always want to read, who makes you laugh or cry or think, who is a vital part of our UpstateMoms community." Some very nice ladies nominated me and I won. I got a tote bag, a t-shirt, a mouse pad, and a few magnets, all with the Upstate Mom logo. They also took my picture with my chidlren and posted it on the website. Here is that picture:



Now I have read of another contest. A lady on the Yahoo Group, Patriarch's Wives, is having a contest on her blog. You can win a $25 gift certificate to Fruitful Vine Creations, a lovely business that does custom wall lettering and signs. You can have a plaque made with scriture on it! Here is their website: http://www.fruitfulvinecreations.com/

To enter the contest, go to this blog and read the contest rules: http://thereisaseason.blogspot.com/2008/04/for-another-contest.html

If I keep winning prizes at this rate, my taxes will be very complicated next year! LOL